One of the neat things about having a forge is that you can actually FORGE a blade and not have to cut it out and grind it down from a rasp.... those rasps are 1080 not 5160. They are softer than a file meant to cut metal.
I used to make knives out of swedish steel files back in high school. I would heat 'em up red and let 'em cool down slowly in casting sand 2 times to soften 'em. then I would grind and file them smooth. then forge the edge, final shape grind and file. re heat to dark red and quick cool in water. rough polish and edge temper to staw colour with a torch. The result was one heavy duty bush wacking blade. other attempts made before this method resulted in easily broken brittle blades.
You can try A53, but it will likely not be easy to shape in a hardened state. It will also remain very brittle. Heating it up/Softening it would be the desired method for shaping, followed by re-heating, finish shaping, and annealing/stabilizing the steel (400 F for 2-3 hours.)
I am thinking about making one of these myself, buy the file I have bevels down in both sides to a pretty fine edge. Do you thinks that I could just grind it down with a grinding stone? Or do I still have to un harden the steel? The file is pretty old and it can be scratched by a hacksaw blade.
TheNinjas223.........When making them? Belt sander, Sand paper, and Steel Wool. When a finished blade becomes tarnished, light sand paper and steel wool. These blades need to be kept clean, and a light coating of oil while stored doesn't hurt. If concerned over oil contaminating meat while field dressing, you could always just use some cooking oil. They really won't tarnish bad as long as they are cleaned, dried, and stored in a low humidity environment.
Once hardened, it will still be pretty hot. I would let it cool enough to clean it off, and then put it in the oven, lying flat, at 400 F for about 2 - 3 hours. This will temper it, making it a little less brittle. Hope this helps!
When cooled off, try scratching it with a regular file.......you should be able to put deep scratches in it pretty easily at this point. If so, it should be "soft" enough to grind, cut, shape. When you achieve the desired shape and get it to about 85% finish (edge, thickness, filing details, etc.) you are ready to heat it up again using same process. Only this time, when you reach the appropriate heat, you will dip it (straight up and down!) in a bucket of water. This will harden it.
To soften the file, you have to heat it up until it's glowing reddish/orange.......if you have a magnet and can carefully touch it with the blade, and it doesn't stick (isn't magnetic), you have reached the appropriate heat (around 1500 F). Check to make sure it's not warped or bent. If so, you'll need to keep it hot until you can straighten it. If satisfied, lay it flat, someplace it won't burn anything (in some sand would be good), and let it cool to room temp on it's own.
@MrJHAIII if i gonna make a knife, i not wasting my time building it from a file!!! to brittle at rockwell 65.. i use ATS-34/ 440-c Stainless steelor high speed steels , plasma cutter/a four wheel square grinder to shape then harden/draw in a inert atomsphere oven.. buy the correct tools and make a good knife.....a quality knife will bring hundreds if not thousands of dollars for your efforts..leave the junk file the recyclers
should of made em full tand wooden handles or split horn handle exposeing the full tang for sticking and skinging hunting style youre are going there from that templete
Go to Making Knife Blades From An Old File Part 3, and you'll see I did just that. Came out pretty nice, and will be making a bunch more over the Winter!
Look at the - Part 2 video.......came out pretty nice. Also made a part 3 video showing some of the new knives I've made. Going to make a bunch of that style knife, which are better suited for hunting situations.
@LJPV777 get a brake drum, some blacksmith coal and a blower... it'll get hot enough.. if you wanna go real cheap, for the blower use a hair dryer and a vaccum cleaner hose lol.
@LJPV777 should work okay, just make sure that you get some coal that burns hot, and keep the blower on it. if it doesnt work, find a couple cinder blocks and put them side by side, that'll do fine too. The coal is for sale on ebay. about 25lbs for 5 dollars i believe
I heat them up in the forge shown in the first video. It is a propane forge, commonly used by Farriers when they are working on horse shoes. It is capable of temps near 2000 F. To soften the steel, you need to heat it up to around 1500 degrees F. I put a magnet on it once it's glowing red/orange, and once the magnet doesn't stick any longer, I know I've reached the correct temp. Once it cools, it's ready to start shaping/grinding.
Very cool! I just started making some knives out of saw blades and a file. I got the idea from your video. Thanks This could be a great hobby! Maybe for my next video.
@7x57mmMauser I agree, this is probably W1 steel and not 5160 as the poster claims. 5160 would never get hard enough with its low carbon content and is generally used as a spring steel and not file steel.
old files are a great material for bushcraft knives. I use them too - they are cheap and easy to find. Sir , please look at my knifemaking movies. Regards !
@PanCakePB go to a garage or woodworking shop like furniture or cabinet makers and tell the mechanics & carpenters you will give them a couple dollars for each large old file they want to throw away or recycle.
what i do when i make a blade 1.goto home depot and get 1-2ft metal board and 2 1/6th inch thick wood planks 2.use a hacksaw to get a rough shape 3.use sandpaper (all by hand) to sharpen and define the blade 4.cut the wood to the right size 5.take the wood and burn a pattern into it 6.gloss it and paint the blade (a dark red or blue) 7.sandpaper the blade edge just a little so you get the paint off of it (DO NOT OVERSHARPEN!!!) 8. enjoy my sword for a week then sell on ebay :) (all by hand)
@barbarajasinska, you would have to blend the high carbon steel with nickel or chromium to make it stainless, it would be almost impossible. Besides, carbon steel is better in my semi-expert opinion.
To make is stainless is pretty ambiguous. You make it genuine stainless steel, it isn't possible without changing the chemistry of the steel. To make a Laminated blade in order to make it "stainless" is more believable and very possible.
Blending the steel, as you say is also a bit vague. If you were to plate the metal it'd do just fine and be very possible, but that would be highly impractical given the plating process produces a superficial layer, it'd wear off.
new fire brick is expensive. but well worth the investment, especially on a free forge. Congrats, that's a nice gift. Farrier rasps are high carbon steel, higher than spring steel and do not necessarily need to be quenched. those are going to look really nice! thanks for sharing.
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Smactical 2 weeks ago
Your voice resembles that of Woody Guthrie.
Squarerig 2 weeks ago
One of the neat things about having a forge is that you can actually FORGE a blade and not have to cut it out and grind it down from a rasp.... those rasps are 1080 not 5160. They are softer than a file meant to cut metal.
1overthehillsfaraway 3 weeks ago
Really like this knife. How long is the blade and what is the overall length?
tamsims 1 month ago
I used to make knives out of swedish steel files back in high school. I would heat 'em up red and let 'em cool down slowly in casting sand 2 times to soften 'em. then I would grind and file them smooth. then forge the edge, final shape grind and file. re heat to dark red and quick cool in water. rough polish and edge temper to staw colour with a torch. The result was one heavy duty bush wacking blade. other attempts made before this method resulted in easily broken brittle blades.
ColdForgedCopper 1 month ago
You can try A53, but it will likely not be easy to shape in a hardened state. It will also remain very brittle. Heating it up/Softening it would be the desired method for shaping, followed by re-heating, finish shaping, and annealing/stabilizing the steel (400 F for 2-3 hours.)
Good Luck!
MrJHAIII 1 month ago 2
I am thinking about making one of these myself, buy the file I have bevels down in both sides to a pretty fine edge. Do you thinks that I could just grind it down with a grinding stone? Or do I still have to un harden the steel? The file is pretty old and it can be scratched by a hacksaw blade.
anonomous53 1 month ago
@elisiamarie ok thanks for the info.
TheNinjas223 1 month ago
TheNinjas223.........When making them? Belt sander, Sand paper, and Steel Wool. When a finished blade becomes tarnished, light sand paper and steel wool. These blades need to be kept clean, and a light coating of oil while stored doesn't hurt. If concerned over oil contaminating meat while field dressing, you could always just use some cooking oil. They really won't tarnish bad as long as they are cleaned, dried, and stored in a low humidity environment.
elisiamarie 1 month ago
how was prison?.....does this one fit?....how long have u been a mule? lol
hifeyracer 1 month ago
How do you get the rust and the stains off.
TheNinjas223 1 month ago
the irony in having to file down file... priceless
123milad321 1 month ago
0:00
cennoreth 1 month ago
Once hardened, it will still be pretty hot. I would let it cool enough to clean it off, and then put it in the oven, lying flat, at 400 F for about 2 - 3 hours. This will temper it, making it a little less brittle. Hope this helps!
MrJHAIII 1 month ago
When cooled off, try scratching it with a regular file.......you should be able to put deep scratches in it pretty easily at this point. If so, it should be "soft" enough to grind, cut, shape. When you achieve the desired shape and get it to about 85% finish (edge, thickness, filing details, etc.) you are ready to heat it up again using same process. Only this time, when you reach the appropriate heat, you will dip it (straight up and down!) in a bucket of water. This will harden it.
MrJHAIII 1 month ago
To soften the file, you have to heat it up until it's glowing reddish/orange.......if you have a magnet and can carefully touch it with the blade, and it doesn't stick (isn't magnetic), you have reached the appropriate heat (around 1500 F). Check to make sure it's not warped or bent. If so, you'll need to keep it hot until you can straighten it. If satisfied, lay it flat, someplace it won't burn anything (in some sand would be good), and let it cool to room temp on it's own.
MrJHAIII 1 month ago
did you soften and harden it? i dont fully understand how to do that stuff, some advice would be much appreciated
Looneydude2398 1 month ago
i have a knife from a rasp
258legolas 1 month ago
My dad made of of those as a kid in his father's copper smith shop. It's an amazing knife!
acev1per 2 months ago
then you have a rasp too
bryncomeaux 2 months ago
sorry....that's "use them AS a pry-bar!"
MrJHAIII 2 months ago
@MrJHAIII if i gonna make a knife, i not wasting my time building it from a file!!! to brittle at rockwell 65.. i use ATS-34/ 440-c Stainless steelor high speed steels , plasma cutter/a four wheel square grinder to shape then harden/draw in a inert atomsphere oven.. buy the correct tools and make a good knife.....a quality knife will bring hundreds if not thousands of dollars for your efforts..leave the junk file the recyclers
warlocks789 2 months ago
They are only brittle if you use them are a pry-bar! Use them properly, and you won't have any issues. ;?)
MrJHAIII 2 months ago
isnt a file is a fucking britle tool ??
MrZamegonas 2 months ago
My file have the size of a machete D:
idiotAREstupid 2 months ago
looks good.
my grandpa used to make butcher knives from old files at his black smith shop.
1tamtom 2 months ago
Good info thanks.
woodsinme 2 months ago
should of made em full tand wooden handles or split horn handle exposeing the full tang for sticking and skinging hunting style youre are going there from that templete
bigwillakingkilla 4 months ago
@bigwillakingkilla
Go to Making Knife Blades From An Old File Part 3, and you'll see I did just that. Came out pretty nice, and will be making a bunch more over the Winter!
MrJHAIII 4 months ago
@MrJHAIII awesome thay are nice i make leather shealths and other stuff
bigwillakingkilla 4 months ago
@bigwillakingkilla Full tang is overrated.
newtubetubetube 2 months ago
file steel is a bit to hard I sure like using crosscut saw blade or 8 " 2 man bow saw steel takes an edge and holds for a very long time
MrMrtiki 4 months ago
Look at the - Part 2 video.......came out pretty nice. Also made a part 3 video showing some of the new knives I've made. Going to make a bunch of that style knife, which are better suited for hunting situations.
MrJHAIII 4 months ago
How did it turn out??
TheLatinozz 5 months ago
@MrJHAIII: how do i make a handle?
mpolett14 5 months ago
@mpolett14 You could use paracord
HorrorHiro 4 months ago
Is there any way to make a forge that can get that hot for cheap?
LJPV777 5 months ago
@LJPV777 get a brake drum, some blacksmith coal and a blower... it'll get hot enough.. if you wanna go real cheap, for the blower use a hair dryer and a vaccum cleaner hose lol.
BradenToler 5 months ago
@BradenToler I've seen other people use a fire pit with a grate underneath and a blower. Would that work?
LJPV777 5 months ago
@LJPV777 should work okay, just make sure that you get some coal that burns hot, and keep the blower on it. if it doesnt work, find a couple cinder blocks and put them side by side, that'll do fine too. The coal is for sale on ebay. about 25lbs for 5 dollars i believe
BradenToler 5 months ago
I heat them up in the forge shown in the first video. It is a propane forge, commonly used by Farriers when they are working on horse shoes. It is capable of temps near 2000 F. To soften the steel, you need to heat it up to around 1500 degrees F. I put a magnet on it once it's glowing red/orange, and once the magnet doesn't stick any longer, I know I've reached the correct temp. Once it cools, it's ready to start shaping/grinding.
MrJHAIII 5 months ago
how did you get the steel soft enough to grind on?
MrDantheawesomeman 5 months ago
making something out of nothing - that is a spirit of knifemaking for me :) please - visit my youtube chanel for knifemaking movies :)
Trollskyy 5 months ago
Very cool! I just started making some knives out of saw blades and a file. I got the idea from your video. Thanks This could be a great hobby! Maybe for my next video.
XSwingGolf 7 months ago
Thanks for the info Mauser..........I'm don't know a great deal about the steel properties, and this is good to know. !
MrJHAIII 7 months ago
most files are W1 tool steel and not 5160 spring steel, which is too soft and only .6% carbon.
W1 is 1.0% carbon and a "W" series meaning Water is the prefered quench medium and not oil as in the "O" series like O1.
7x57mmMauser 7 months ago 2
@7x57mmMauser I agree, this is probably W1 steel and not 5160 as the poster claims. 5160 would never get hard enough with its low carbon content and is generally used as a spring steel and not file steel.
jedirifleman 2 months ago
Pancake here, where I live (Poland) they are some old stuff gathering once a month, last time i bought 10 for about 10 $
Trollskyy 8 months ago
old files are a great material for bushcraft knives. I use them too - they are cheap and easy to find. Sir , please look at my knifemaking movies. Regards !
Trollskyy 8 months ago
@Trollskyy where do you find old files to use cus where i live there not to many garage sales where i can get old tools just fish tanks -_-
PanCakePB 8 months ago
@PanCakePB go to a garage or woodworking shop like furniture or cabinet makers and tell the mechanics & carpenters you will give them a couple dollars for each large old file they want to throw away or recycle.
jedirifleman 3 months ago
TheReachmonkey 10 months ago
@barbarajasinska, you would have to blend the high carbon steel with nickel or chromium to make it stainless, it would be almost impossible. Besides, carbon steel is better in my semi-expert opinion.
bones020694 10 months ago
@bones020694
To make is stainless is pretty ambiguous. You make it genuine stainless steel, it isn't possible without changing the chemistry of the steel. To make a Laminated blade in order to make it "stainless" is more believable and very possible.
Blending the steel, as you say is also a bit vague. If you were to plate the metal it'd do just fine and be very possible, but that would be highly impractical given the plating process produces a superficial layer, it'd wear off.
JesusFuckingChrist84 10 months ago
That blade is probably going to snap off the handle
bones020694 10 months ago
how did you make it stainless?
barbarajasinska 11 months ago
awesome job, i wish i could learn that in germany =)
tuatahi 1 year ago
@tuatahi Guten Tag to you!
RockBand2Freak78 11 months ago
im 12 and am going to start making knives in a few days my dads working with me lol
123moonwolf1 1 year ago
@123moonwolf1 im 13 and i survived in the wild forest for 15 days with only a knife, a canteen, and the SAS Survival Handbook.
way2good4u100 8 months ago
Interesting that you chose to make a stick tang when a full tang would have been easier and stronger... Whats the deal?
noweirdbeard 1 year ago
you still can use it as a file...what metal is better for survival knife: steel or heat thearted steel or from file? please reply me
generalmajot 1 year ago
Great video, I really appreciate high definition movies for this kind of stuff.
SamuelitoRubio 1 year ago
kinda hard to file a file lol. im making a video of the knife that i made out of a file
themegajosh09 1 year ago
whats is the forge brand
dcg025 1 year ago
cool forge
deckflip 1 year ago
do you sell then knives?
nightwalker2830 1 year ago
Hey There! How is your project going? I would love to see more!
surferJake 1 year ago
f**k stock removal knives
Pawnbroker00 1 year ago
new fire brick is expensive. but well worth the investment, especially on a free forge. Congrats, that's a nice gift. Farrier rasps are high carbon steel, higher than spring steel and do not necessarily need to be quenched. those are going to look really nice! thanks for sharing.
mauifarrier 1 year ago